1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a splice-absorbing connector which eliminates a splice between wires, branched respectively from sub-harnesses, and more particularly to a splice-absorbing connector in which a plurality of sub-housings are stacked together to form a connector housing.
2. Related Art
FIG. 14 shows a partially cross sectional view of a conventional joint absorbing connector, and the detailed description is described hereinbelow. In FIG. 14, a reference numeral 100xe2x80x2 is a joint absorbing connector such that a bus bar 120xe2x80x2 is inserted into a connector housing 110xe2x80x2 made of a resin. A plurality of connector fitting portion 111xe2x80x2 are integrally molded to the connector housing 110xe2x80x2, and tub terminals 121xe2x80x2 erect from the bus bar 120xe2x80x2 at an inner side of the connector fitting portion.
Wires are branched from sub-harnesses more than two pieces (not shown), and a mating connector (male connector) is attached with each wire. Each mating connector is fitted to each connector fitting portion 111 xe2x80x2 of the connector housing 110xe2x80x2 to connect wires branched from sub-harnesses to each other so as to form a wire-harness.
Next, a conventional splice absorbing connector will described along with FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG. 15 shows a conventional splice absorbing connector; FIG. 15(a) shows a transverse sectional view and FIG. 15(b) shows a longitudinal cross sectional view. FIG. 16 shows an illustration of a connecting condition of the sub-harness through the splice absorbing connector. In FIGS. 15(a) and (b), a connector housing 210xe2x80x2 of a splice absorbing connector 200xe2x80x2 has terminal accommodating chambers 211xe2x80x2 divided by a plurality of holding grooves 212xe2x80x2.
On the other hand, wires 31axe2x80x2 and 32axe2x80x2 are divided from at least more than two sub-harnesses (as shown in FIG. 16). A terminal 220xe2x80x2 is press-fitted to each wires 31axe2x80x2 and 32axe2x80x2, and has an elastic contact portion 221xe2x80x2.
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 15(a), after assembling the sub-harnesses 31xe2x80x2 and 32xe2x80x2, each terminal 220xe2x80x2 of the wire 31axe2x80x2, and 32a is fitted into each holding groove 212 of a connector housing 210xe2x80x2 so that the terminals 220xe2x80x2 adjacent each other are elastically contacted in the terminal accommodating chambers 211xe2x80x2 to connect the wires 31axe2x80x2 and 32axe2x80x2 each other so as to form the wire harness.
However, in the conventional joint absorbing connector 100xe2x80x2, the structure of the connector housing 110xe2x80x2 and bus bar 120xe2x80x2 are determined in accordance with a number of wires branched from sub-harness 31xe2x80x2 or the bus-bar 120xe2x80x2. Thus, when the sub-harness condition is changed, the housing 110xe2x80x2 or the bus bar 120xe2x80x2 is newly designed along with the sub-harness condition. Namely, the conventional joint absorbing connector 100xe2x80x2 could not flexibility follow the change of the sub-harness condition.
Further, this structure requires the joint absorbing connector 100xe2x80x2 and a mating connector fitted to the joint absorbing connector 100xe2x80x2. As a result, the circuit located in an automobile is increased and the joint absorbing connector 110xe2x80x2 becomes large along with the complication.
Moreover, in the splice absorbing connector 200xe2x80x2, after assembling the sub-harness 31xe2x80x2 and 32xe2x80x2, each terminal 220xe2x80x2 press-fitted to the wire 31axe2x80x2 or 32axe2x80x2 branched from the sub-harnesses 31xe2x80x2 or 32xe2x80x2 is press-fitted into the each holding groove 212xe2x80x2 of the connector housing 210xe2x80x2. This work lead to the reduce the workability of wire harness.
Further, each terminal 220xe2x80x2 is connected in a transverse or longitudinal direction. As a result, the circuit located in an automobile is increased, and the joint absorbing connector 110xe2x80x2 becomes in large in the transverse or longitudinal direction along with the complication.
With the above problem in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a splice-absorbing connector in which the connector construction can flexibly meet a change in the number of wires, the overall size of connector can be made compact and the efficiency of production of the wire harness can be enhanced.
It is another object of this invention to provide a splice-absorbing connector in which the order of stacking of sub-housings can be clearly identified from the appearance so that an error in the order of stacking of the sub-housings can be prevented and that it can be immediately judged where and how the stacking order is erroneous.
According to the present invention, there is provided a splice-absorbing connector wherein a connector housing comprises a plurality of sub-housings stacked together;
provided in that order identification portions, which mean stack order positions of the sub-housings, respectively, and are different in appearance from one another, are formed respectively on one surfaces of the sub-housings which do not overlap each other, and are disposed in a common plane. For example, the order identification portion of each of the sub-housings comprises a number mark indicated on the one surface thereof, and the number of the number mark of each sub-housing is the same as the stack order position number thereof.
With this construction, when assembling the splice-absorbing connector, the sub-housings are stacked together in accordance with the order identification portions (numbers or others) formed respectively on the one surfaces of the sub-housings, and by doing so, an error in the stacking order can be prevented.
Preferably, when the sub-housings are stacked together in correct order, the order identification portions of the sub-housings jointly form a pattern of a predetermined regularity.
For example, the order identification portion of each of the sub-housings comprises three-dimensional or planar marks which are formed on the one surface thereof at equal intervals in a juxtaposed manner, and the number of the marks is the same as the stack order position number thereof. Alternatively, the order identification portions of the sub-housings are formed respectively by different colors applied respectively to the one surfaces of the sub-housings.
With this construction, when assembling the splice-absorbing connector, the sub-housings are stacked together in accordance with the order identification portions (three-dimensional or planar marks or colors corresponding to the respective stack order positions) formed respectively on the one surfaces of the sub-housings, and by doing so, an error in the stacking order can be prevented.
When the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, the order identification portions of these sub-housings jointly form the pattern of the predetermined regularity. Therefore, the operator, when taking a look at this pattern, can immediately judge whether or not the stacking order is correct, and also can immediately judge where and how the stacking order is erroneous.
For example, the order identification portion of each of the sub-housings comprises three-dimensional or planar marks whose number is the same as the stack order position number thereof. In this case, when the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, the three-dimensional or planar marks of the order identification portions jointly form such a three-dimensional or planar configuration pattern of a predetermined regularity that the number of the marks is increased one by one in the sequence from the first-stage sub-housing toward the last-stage sub-housing.
For example, the order identification portions of the sub-housings are formed respectively by different colors applied respectively to the one surfaces of the sub-housings. In this case, when the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, the colors of these sub-housings are arranged in a predetermined order (for example, redxe2x86x92greenxe2x86x92blue, . . . ), thereby jointly forming a color pattern of a predetermined regularity.
The operator takes a look at such a three-dimensional or planar configuration pattern or a color pattern to determine whether or not this pattern has the predetermined regularity, and merely by doing so, it can be immediately judged whether or not the stacking order is correct, and also it can be immediately judged where and how the stacking order is erroneous.
Preferably, part or the whole of the one surface of each of the sub-housings is structurally or imaginarily divided into sections equal in number to the sub-housings stacked together, and these sections form the order identification portion, and that section of the sections of each sub-housing, corresponding to the stack order position thereof, is different in appearance from the other sections.
For example, a number mark is indicated on that section of the sections of the order identification portion of each sub-housing, corresponding to the stack order position thereof, and the number of the number mark of each sub-housing is the same as the stack order position number thereof.
With this construction, the sub-housings are stacked together in accordance with the number marks indicated respectively on the sub-housings, and by doing so, an error in the stacking order can be prevented.
When the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, the number marks, formed respectively on the order identification portions of the sub-housings, are arranged straight on a diagonal line of the stacked sub-housings, thus jointly forming a pattern of a predetermined regularity.
For example, a three-dimensional or planar mark may be formed on that section of the sections of the order identification portion of each sub-housing corresponding to the stack order position thereof. Also, three-dimensional or planar marks may be formed respectively on the sections of the order identification portion of each sub-housing except that section corresponding to the stack order position thereof.
With this construction, the stack order position of each sub-housing can be identified in accordance with the position of the three-dimensional or planar mark at the order identification portion thereof, or in accordance with the position of that section having no three-dimensional or planar make formed thereon, and therefore an error in the stacking order can be prevented.
When the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, the three-dimensional or planar marks (formed respectively on the order identification portions) or those sections of these sub-housings, each having no three-dimensional or planar mark formed on the order identification portion, are arranged straight on a diagonal line of the stacked sub-housings, thus jointly forming a pattern of a predetermined regularity.
For example, a color may be applied to that section of the sections of the order identification portion of each sub-housing corresponding to the stack order position thereof. Also, a color may be applied to the sections of the order identification portion of each sub-housing except that section corresponding to the stack order position thereof.
With this construction, the stack order position of each sub-housing can be identified in accordance with the position of that section of the order identification portion having the color, or in accordance with the position of that section of the order identification portion having no color, and therefore an error in the order of stacking of the sub-housings can be prevented.
When the sub-housings are stacked together in the correct order, those sections of the order identification portions having the color, or those sections having no color, are arranged straight on a diagonal line of the stacked sub-housings, thus jointly forming a pattern of a predetermined regularity.